Underground Security International Regulations on Atmospheric Monitoring Mining Production Security Seminar Presented by Dave McCullough May 9, 2013 Canadian Embassy, Buenos Aires
Regulation Standards Type of Mine International Regulations for Atmospheric Monitoring Determined by Mine Type 1) Non-Gaseous Mines 2) Mines with Presence of Explosive Gases (coal mines, some potash mines, mines with explosive gas pockets nearby).
What is the Purpose/Benefit of Atmospheric Monitoring in an Underground Mine? In every underground mining operation, ventilation systems are used to control the atmospheric conditions in the operation
What is the Purpose/Benefit of Atmospheric Monitoring in an Underground Mine? Traditionally, Ventilation Systems in mining operations have been run constantly at 100% power, as integrated systems have not been available to determine the actual ventilation needs underground
What is the Purpose/Benefit of Atmospheric Monitoring in an Underground Mine? Although great care and planning have gone into the design of these systems in the past, providing ventilation at maximum power throughout an underground mining operation have 2 major drawbacks.
What is the Purpose/Benefit of Atmospheric Monitoring in an Underground Mine? Drawbacks: 1) There is no guarantee that adequate fresh air flow is reaching all the active areas of a mining operation without real-time atmospheric monitoring.
What is the Purpose/Benefit of Atmospheric Monitoring in an Underground Mine? Drawbacks: 2) A ventilation system running at constant full power through an entire underground mining operation is exorbitant, typically accounting for 35-50% of a mine’s energy consumption
What is the Purpose/Benefit of Atmospheric Monitoring in an Underground Mine? What is the purpose of Atmospheric Monitoring in Non-Gaseous Mines? 1) Ventilation to clear toxic fumes, dust and exhaust fumes from the underground workplace, replacing it with fresh air from the surface
What is the Purpose/Benefit of Atmospheric Monitoring in an Underground Mine? What is the purpose of Atmospheric Monitoring in Non-Gaseous Mines? 2) Ventilation for cooling the workplace for miners from heat generated by virgin rock temperatures, machinery, auto compression, blasting and fissure water
Regulation & Standards Non-Gaseous Mines What is the purpose of Atmospheric Monitoring in Non-Gaseous Mines? 3) Gas detection in areas of the mine where combustible liquids are stored/used, such as a fueling station, maintenance bay or battery charging stations
Regulation & Standards Non-Gaseous Mines What is the purpose of Atmospheric Monitoring in Non-Gaseous Mines? 4) Mines or areas of mines that have been determined flammable gases can build up due to mining environment
Regulation & Standards Non-Gaseous Mines What is the purpose of Atmospheric Monitoring in Non-Gaseous Mines? 5) Post accident atmospheric monitoring in rescue chambers and refuge stations
Regulation & Standards Non-Gaseous Mines What is the purpose of Atmospheric Monitoring in Non-Gaseous Mines? 5) Targeting airflow to where it is required to maximize ventilation benefits
Regulation & Standards Atmospheric Examination Shall consist of examination for… (a) Oxygen deficiency (b) Toxic gas, vapour, dust, mist or fume (c) Any other dangerous condition (Ontario Regulation 854, Part XI, No. 255-2a-c)
Regulation & Standards Air Velocity An employer must ensure that a ventilation system in a mine maintains a minimum air velocity at the working faces of 0.3 meters per second. (Alberta Occupational Health & Safety Code Part 36 – Mining, Sec.712(1))
Regulation & Standards Air Velocity An employer must ensure that a ventilation system in a mine maintains a minimum air velocity in roadways, other than working headings, of 0.3 meters per second unless methane layering is occurring, in which case the air velocity must be increased. (Alberta Occupational Health & Safety Code Part 36 – Mining, Sec.712(2))
Regulation & Standards Air Velocity An employer must ensure that the velocity of the air in a ventilation system is not more than b) 5 meters per second in a coal conveyor road c) 8 meters per second in other roadways (Alberta Occupational Health & Safety Code Part 36 – Mining, Sec.712(2))
Regulation & Standards Temperature The Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) index is by far the most widely used throughout the world: • NIOSH (1972) • ACGIH (1990) • ISO 7243 (1989a)
Regulation & Standards Temperature Metabolic rate M (Wm –2 ) Reference value of WBGT Person acclimatized to Person not acclimatized to heat (°C) heat (°C) 0. Resting M≤65 33 32 1. 65<M≤130 30 29 2. 130<M≤200 28 26 No sensible Sensible air No sensible Sensible air air movement movement air movement movement 3. 200<M<260 25 26 22 23 4. M>260 23 25 18 20
Regulation & Standards Oxygen Pressure Ventilation system must provide a partial pressure of oxygen of more than 18 kilopascals (Ontario Regulation 854, Part XI, No. 253-1a)
Regulation & Standards Oxygen An employer must ensure that a mine has a mechanical ventilation system… that: c) Ensures that the air contains at least 19.5 percent oxygen by volume and not more than 0.5 percent carbon dioxide by volume. (Alberta Occupational Health & Safety Code Part 36 – Mining, Sec.711(1)c)
Regulation & Standards Dust Where dust or other material is likely to cause a hazard by becoming airborne, the dust, or other material, shall be removed by a minimum of delay (Ontario Regulation 854, Part XI, No. 266)
Regulation & Standards Diesel Particulate Matter According to current Mining Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) standards on Diesel Particulate Matter (DPM), mines are required to comply with the final Permissible Exposure Limit of 160µg/m 3 (microgram per cubic meter of air)
Regulation & Standards Flammable Gases If a flow of flammable gas is encountered in a mine… and the concentration of the gas is unknown: (a)All sources of ignition in the affected area shall be eliminated (c) The affected area shall be evacuated (Ontario Regulation 854, Part XI, No. 35-1a&c)
Regulation & Standards Flammable Gases Work may resume if the concentration of flammable gas is less than 1% (Vol.): • Below 0.25% - no precautions required • Between 0-25% & 0.5% - gas detector shall remain for further testing and area designated a fire hazard (Ontario Regulation 854, Part XI, No. 35-2-4)
Regulation & Standards Flammable Gases • More than 0.5% Vol. and less that 1% Vol. only permissible equipment allowed • More than 1% Vol. all sources of ignition must be eliminated and only competent personnel to measure gas & make ventilation changes may be allowed to enter (Ontario Regulation 854, Part XI, No. 35-5-6)
Regulation & Standards Battery Charging Stations In an underground mine, a battery charging station shall be ventilated to prevent the accumulation of an explosive mixture of gases (Ontario Regulation 854, Part XI, No. 261)
Regulation & Standards Blasting Contaminants No person shall enter or remain, or be permitted to enter or remain, in an workplace affected by blasting contaminants until the ventilation system has removed the contaminants or rendered them harmless (Ontario Regulation 854, Part XI, No. 260)
Regulation & Standards Blasting Contaminants – Ammonia (NH 3 ) CAS Number 7664-41-7 • 8-hour Occupational Exposure Limit: 25ppm • Permissible Exposure Limit: 35ppm
Regulation & Standards Blasting Contaminants – Sulfur Dioxide (SO 2 ) CAS Number 7446-09-5 • 8-hour Occupational Exposure Limit: 2ppm • Permissible Exposure Limit: 5ppm
Regulation & Standards Toxic Gases The threshold limit values for chemical substances and physical agents set out in “TLVs Threshold Limit Values and Biological Exposure Induces for 1986-87” by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists are adopted (Ontario Regulation 854, Part XI, No. 283)
Regulation & Standards Toxic Gases – Carbon Monoxide (CO) CAS Number 630-08-0 • 8-hour Occupational Exposure Limit: 25ppm • Permissible Exposure Limit: 200ppm
Regulation & Standards Toxic Gases – Carbon Dioxide (CO2) CAS Number 124-38-9 • 8-hour Occupational Exposure Limit : 5,000ppm • Permissible Exposure Limit: 30,000ppm
Regulation & Standards Toxic Gases – Nitric Oxide (NO) CAS Number 10102-43-9 • 8-hour Occupational Exposure Limit: 25ppm • Permissible Exposure Limit: 25ppm
Regulation & Standards Toxic Gases – Nitric Dioxide (NO 2 ) CAS Number 10102-44-0 • 8-hour Occupational Exposure Limit: 3ppm • Permissible Exposure Limit: 5ppm
Regulation & Standards Toxic Gases – Hydrogen Sulfide (H 2 S) CAS Number 7783-06-4 • 8-hour Occupational Exposure Limit: 10ppm • Permissible Exposure Limit: 15ppm
Regulation & Standards Toxic Gases – Sulfur Dioxide (SO 2 ) CAS Number 7446-09-5 • 8-hour Occupational Exposure Limit: 2ppm • Permissible Exposure Limit: 5ppm
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